The Roundabout to Mukti

Life, dear chums, is not unlike our good friend, Shri Hariprasad Bhandari – a man known far and wide for his unyielding determination to reach the grand City of Mukti. Hariprasad was no ordinary soul; he had an insatiable appetite for advice and sought it from only the most eccentric minds in the village, each of whom, naturally, had their own wildly inventive perspectives.

One fine morning, Shri Hariprasad, with his trusty dog, Bhola, set off, determined to follow the first bit of wisdom he’d received: “Head east,” advised Pandit Tripathi, a gentleman known for wearing particularly elaborate dhotis and claiming to have achieved peace through the perfect cup of chai.

So off Hariprasad went, with a spring in his step, only to be stopped in his tracks by Mrs. Manorama Iyer, the society matriarch who declared with utmost certainty that south was the true direction. “I once traveled south, you see, and found the most delightful silk sarees!” she exclaimed. Naturally, Hariprasad, ever the gentleman, switched his course southward, while Bhola wagged his tail with a mix of bewilderment and boredom.

But alas, not long after, along came the venerable Professor Gurunathan, a retired schoolteacher who, in between telling tales of his youthful exploits, insisted that the west held the real treasure. “It’s where the sunsets are most magnificent!” he declared, before promptly losing his train of thought mid-sentence.

Feeling obliged to respect the wisdom of age, Hariprasad adjusted his stride towards the west, Bhola loyally padding along. Of course, just as expected, young Vikram Sharma, a fresh engineering graduate with more ideas than experience, appeared and insisted that north was where all secrets lay. Hariprasad, not one to turn down the advice of the educated, veered northward without so much as a second thought.

Days turned into weeks, and there was poor Shri Hariprasad, right back where he’d started – in the middle of a roundabout. Yes, dear chums, quite literally going in circles. Bhola, by now, had taken to sighing loudly, his patience stretched as thin as Hariprasad’s footwear.

It was at this precise moment that our hero had an epiphany: the more directions he followed, the more he found himself... nowhere. Sitting down on a bench with a resigned huff, Hariprasad resolved to follow just one piece of advice, from just one voice. It was the humble old chaiwala, Dharmu Bhai, who, while pouring tea from a height, wisely suggested, “Pick a direction, bhaisaab, any direction, and stick to it. The journey may be long, but the destination won’t move.”

Hariprasad nodded gravely, and for the first time in ages, decided not to ask for further guidance. He chose east – for Pandit Tripathi’s chai *was* exceptionally good – and pressed forward with determination. And wouldn’t you know it, chums? Some weeks later, Hariprasad and Bhola reached the City of Mukti, where Bhola enjoyed his fill of rest and Hariprasad found inner peace... along with a well-brewed cup of tea.

The lesson is clear: while advice may pour forth as freely as chai at a roadside stall, one must pick a direction and a single mentor to reach any destination worth arriving at. Otherwise, you may end up endlessly wandering – which, while beneficial to cobblers, is rather less useful for one’s spiritual journey.

-- Pradeep K (Prady)